Why are you a high grade collector?

[UnrulyAppendage]

Personally, I like seeing old books that look like they are just off the newstand. I have a soft spot for Action Comics between 350-450 as I think this run had the best covers with artists such as Adams, Cardy, and Swan and the best Action Comics logo. I always think value of the book and I know high grade gets the bucks, but I think foremost how nice it is to see something from the past that looks fresh. Every now and again, I like looking at the fresh looking comics bagged snugly in mylar bags. I even like to OPEN the bag and look inside.

 

As far as other comics go, if I see a high grade whatever at a reasonable price, I will buy with the hopes of trading or selling. Can't say I am a pure collector.

 

 

 

 

[Timely]

To me, there's nothing like holding a book at arms length and seeing the book for it's art and cover beauty, instead of seeing rips, tears, creases, soil, etc on the mid and lower grade copies.

 

BTW, If you hold a VF book at arm's length it looks NM! Take it out of it's bag/mylar/holder and inspect it closely, the book looks VF once again!

 

Timely

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nik]

It's something that very hard to express. Growing up with the old books (15c, 20c, ) covers, reading them used to put me in a different zone. Now all these years later just holding a shiney, bright comic with a 20c cover (my favorite covers by far) makes me just want more and more of the same quality. For me its more than the money that you can make on them.

Ah heck, they still give me goosebumps

[chrisco37]

Take it out of it's bag/mylar/holder and inspect it closely, the book looks VF once again!

 

I know! Never fails to impress me. Books look so awesome in a Mylar/Mylite! The CGC case is great for protection, but nothing beats a sweet book in a Mylar.

 

To answer the question, though, I am not a 100% HG collector (my fav title is FF and I try to collect F+ or better). But HG books just are so much nicer to look at. That's why I prefer them. I can't stand spine stress on an otherwise really nice looking book.

 

Chris

[aardvark88]

Hi-grade collector because it is no challenge to collect vg silver or bronze. If I want vg, I just visit Chuckle's site.

[fantastic_four]

Hi-grade collector because it is no challenge to collect vg silver or bronze. If I want vg, I just visit Chuckle's site.

 

what he said!

[Darthdiesel]

I'm allergic to mold and dust shadows.

[mr_highgrade]

Ditto!

[drdonaldblake]

its the magic of seeing a 30 y.o comic look almost the way it did when it came off the newsstand- amazing!

[Zonker]

how nice it is to see something from the past that looks fresh.

 

seeing the book for it's art and cover beauty

 

just holding a shiney, bright comic with a 20c cover (my favorite covers by far) makes me just want more and more of the same quality. For me its more than the money that you can make on them.

Ah heck, they still give me goosebumps

 

nothing beats a sweet book in a Mylar.

 

its the magic of seeing a 30 y.o comic look almost the way it did when it came off the newsstand- amazing!

 

 

Stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it stop it!

 

I was just mentioning to drbanner how much less expensive this hobby was back when I was so much more forgiving of my books' conditions!

 

I'm not listening! You can't make me listen!!!

 

 

[joe_collector]

its the magic of seeing a 30 y.o comic look almost the way it did when it came off the newsstand- amazing!

 

That's part of it, but for me, it really comes down to aesthetics. That's one reason I sometimes harp on QP, and would rather have a prime VF/NM than a freaky-QP NM+.

[fantastic_four]

I harp on QP partially for the same reason Odin stated he collects high grade...it makes collecting more challenging. As common as the issue is, it took me three years to find a nicely centered Spidey #33, and after hunting for that long, finally finding one was all the more satisfying!

 

Aesthetics is a big part of it as well, of course.

[HooDeeDoo]

High-grade envy.

[Rocketeer]

Low self esteem....

[acesilver]

Hi-grade collector because it is no challenge to collect vg silver or bronze. If I want vg, I just visit Chuckle's site.

 

what he said!

 

It's that plus the challenge of being able to pull it off once you set a collecting goal. Each book you acquire brings a sense of accomplishment and a thought that you are now one step closer to your objective.

[RedRaven]

because I can't stop myself ?

[SilverAgeGuy]

I think the idea of having a 40 year old comic that looks like it was just printed is what got me into high grade books... But its not just about high technical grade for me. I will choose a bright clean 9.2 with white whites over a 9.6 with a yellowed cover. Now if I can get a 9.6 with white whites, well thats even better...

 

(I know, there's no hope for me)

[PovertyRow]

I never considered myself a High Grade collector, but am seeing aspects of that developing more now. I have been lucky enough to have obtanied some VF and higher pre-code horror books over 2003 and the more I look at them, the more I really like them. I found myself spending more for a single book because it was so nice, even though I could have gotten two or three lesser grades for the same money. I used to go for VG as my minimum for the pre-codes. I now see my minimum as Fine (although there are pricier, rarer exceptions like the Eerie 1, Cap 75 etc). They just look so danged nice. And unslabbed, many a good deal can still be had on VF pre-code horror (and I do put VF in the High Grade category for those books).

[JLA_ALL_THE_WAY]

I do it 4 the bucks.

 

Rick

[PovertyRow]

I do it 4 the bucks.

 

Rick

 

4 the giving or the getting?